Michelle Rides Again (Part 2)
Michelle Rides Again (Part 2) is the second part of the two-part series finale (season 8) of Full House. It originally aired on May 23, 1995. Synopsis Michelle is rushed to the hospital, where Danny realizes that the reason why she was on the riding trail with Elizabeth was that she did not want to compete, thanks to him putting too much pressure on her to beat Elizabeth and because of his fight with Morgan. Everyone is relieved when a doctor tells them that Michelle is out of danger, but she did take a blow to the head, so he has decided to keep her in the hospital overnight for observation. He takes Danny, Jesse and Joey to the room she is in, but she does not remember who they are. The doctor explains that memory loss (in this case, amnesia) is common with head injuries, and it is usually temporary. At home, on the day Michelle is scheduled to be released from the hospital, Andrew comes back over and explains that the reason why he is been reluctant to kiss Stephanie is because he did not know how she would feel about it, but due to what Michelle said a few days earlier, he feels a lot better about it, and they share a kiss. Kimmy comes over and tells D.J. that Duane's cousin, Wayne, has agreed to be her prom date. She is surprised when Kimmy mentions that he is a professional at William Shakespeare's stories. Danny brings Michelle home from the hospital, but she is awkward and still amnesiac. Per the doctor's advice, the family shows her around the house in hopes that seeing familiar things will at least help her remember some of her life. But their efforts, from the "tram tour" ending in her and Stephanie's room, to the guys singing "(Let Me) Be Your Teddy Bear", don't jog any memories. She asks about her mother, and the guys each take turns describing Pam (see Quotes). The family continues their efforts to jog her memory, to no avail, so she decides to take a nap in her "own bed", though she accidentally ends up napping on Stephanie's bed instead, and thus Stephanie has to sleep on Michelle's bed. And not even the twins or Comet can help her, either (see Quotes). Not much later, the family tries yet again to jog her memories by using photo albums (referencing previous episodes, see Trivia), but again, to no avail, so she goes back upstairs to take another nap, this time, in her own bed. And as she sleeps, she is awakened by a voice. It is none other than her memory, who looks exactly like her (see Quotes). Joey tells Jesse that his heart is just not in having their own TV show anymore. He agrees, saying that he does not want to have anything to do with anything that will take away too much time with his family, so they decide to not to do so. On the night the prom is scheduled to take place, Michelle finally starts remembering things again. As D.J. is getting ready to go, Michelle comes downstairs and talks to everyone, and they all realize that she has finally regained her memory. D.J. explains to her that she was thrown off by her horse and took a blow to the head, and Becky adds that she had a loss of memory (amnesia) of herself and her family. Michelle wonders how she could ever forget her family. Kimmy shows up and tells D.J. that Wayne is unable to make it, but she did bring someone with her to take D.J. who is none other than Steve Hale. She is delighted and the two share a passionate kiss admitting how much they have missed each other, leaving a reunion looking possible. Michelle asks Jesse how out of it she was, and he speaks for the whole family when he explains that it was like a part of everyone was missing, a part of her was missing, and that they stuck together and got through it, just like they always have and always will. They all hug her, as well as each other. Quotes Danny: Michelle Look, sweetheart, you had an accident. You fell off your horse, and you hit your head. I'm so sorry I put so much pressure on you. Michelle: That's OK. ---- Jesse: a story to the twins And then the announcer said, ' .' ---- runs towards Michelle, but, of course, amnesiac as she is, she's also scared. D.J.: Comet just wants to say hi. Michelle: Do I like dogs? Jesse: Yeah, you love dogs. Michelle: Oh, good. Comet Hi, little girl. Jesse: her memory on Comet's gender Uhm, uh.. boy. ---- Joey: Hey, Michelle. Look who's here. It's your old buddy Mr. Woodchuck. Mr. Woodchuck: Hi, Michelle. Remember me? I hope you ... wood. I've really been pining for you. ---- twins run into Stephanie and Michelle's room. Nicky & Alex: Michelle, Michelle, Michelle. go to Michelle's bed, where Stephanie is sleeping and wakes up, and points out that Michelle is... Stephanie: Over there [on her bed]. Nicky & Alex: Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle. Michelle: up What do you guys want? Nicky: Do you remember yet? Michelle: I know you're my cousins. ---- Danny: D.J., I really think you should go tonight. You only get one senior prom. Becky: Yeah, my prom was wonderful. I felt just like Cinderella. D.J.: Did you meet Prince Charming? Becky: No, but I lost my shoe, I had a mouse in my car, and my date had a head like a pumpkin. But the point is, it's your prom. You'll remember it forever. D.J.: Well, I know the prom is special; I went to Steve's and it was the most romantic night of my life. But I just don't know how to have a good time when Michelle's home, scared and confused. Michelle: I'm ruining everybody's fun. D.J.: No, Michelle. I didn't mean it that way. Michelle: Which way did you mean it? D.J.: I just want you to feel better. Michelle: How's skipping your prom gonna make me better? D.J.: Well, actually, it won't. Michelle: You feel bad if you're missing your prom, I feel bad when you're missing your prom. One of us should go to that prom. D.J.: Well, I would go, but I think it's too late now. ---- Jesse: Ever since Michelle's accident, I've really been thinking about my priorities. And anything that's gonna take more time away from my family...you know what, I just don't have the time in my life for it. Joey: There's nothing that's more important than your family. ---- Kimmy: D.J. Don't worry. I scrounged up another date for you. D.J.: I'm afraid to ask. walks up to the door Steve: Come on, D.J., let's get goin'. I don't wanna miss the buffet. D.J.: Steve! ---- Jesse: Michelle, I'll never forget the first time I saw you. I was in the maternity ward, and I was looking through the window, and I looked in at you and I waved. And you know what, you looked back at me, and I swear you smiled at me. Of course, the nurse said it was gas, but I wasn't buying it. Michelle: Wow, we've known each other for a long time. Jesse: A long time. You know, it's funny, when I moved in here to help raise you kids, I had no idea that one day, you'd be helping me raise mine. ---- Jesse: Joey, I can't wait until you have kids someday. You're gonna be a great father. I mean, there's nothing like looking down at a beautiful baby in your arms and knowing that you created it. Of course, you're gonna have to find a woman first. Joey: Yeah. It'd be nice to hold something warm and cuddly that didn't always talk about wood. Jesse: It'll happen for you, pal. ---- Michelle: How could I forget myself and you guys? You're my family. Danny: You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that. ---- Michelle: Can I ask you a question? Danny: Sure, anything. Michelle: You're my dad, right? Danny: Yeah, that's right. Michelle: So where's my mom? Danny: a long silence I'm sorry to tell you this, but your mom died when you were just a little girl. Michelle: So even if I do get better, I won't remember her? Joey: Well, Michelle, we'll tell you anything about her that you want to know. Michelle: Was she pretty? Jesse: Oh, Michelle, she was very pretty. You see, your mom was my sister. And you know what? You look just like her. ---- is sleeping on her own bed, when suddenly, she hears a voice... Michelle's Memory: I remember this room. I remember these walls. I remember this bed. I remember it all. Michelle: Who are you, and why do you remember everything? Memory: That's my job, I'm your memory. Michelle: Where the heck have you been? I've been looking all over for you. Memory: I know. When we fell off the horse, I got scared and I hid. I hope I didn't cause you any trouble. Michelle: Duh! I'm walking around in this house with an empty head, and I'm hugging people I hardly know. Memory: Well, get ready, because once they realize that I'm back, they're gonna go hug wild. Michelle: Oh, great. Memory: Don't worry. Once you remember how much you love them, you'll be joining right in. Michelle: Please don't ever leave me again. Memory: I won't, I promise. Uh, we're supposed to hug now. Michelle: Why doesn't that surprise me. two hug... Memory: Ready? Michelle: Ready. memory goes back into her. ---- Joey: What's the capital of Nevada? Michelle: I don't know. City. Joey: She never knew that, her memory's back. ---- Michelle: How out of it was I? Jesse: Oh, pretty out of it. I mean, you were here, sweetheart, but it was like part of you was missing. It sure was like part of all of us was missing. But, we stuck it out and we got through it. Joey: Just like we always do. Danny: Just like we always will. [Everyone hugs her and each other as the episode ends.] Episode notes The episode originally ended with a curtain call during the closing credits with all of the main cast members coming out for their final bows in reverse order of the opening credits (i.e. starting with the twins and ending with Jesse). The abbreviated opening theme song from seasons 3–7 played one final time, and the words "Our Thanks, Our Love" appeared after the copyright screen, at which point the scene froze rather than letting the final bows play out. The words faded out and were followed by fade-ins and fade-outs of both the Jeff Franklin Productions and Miller-Boyett Productions logos, as well as "In Association With", and the Warner Bros. Television Logo playing out as usual. This closing was cut from the DVD release of the episode and from syndicated runs as well and was replaced with stills from that episode and the closing theme played as usual, with the logos and "In Association With" cutting in and out prior to the WBTV logo.Full House series finale syndicated closing credits In addition, rather than having both the final scene and curtain call in the living room, the curtain call was done in the kitchen. Trivia *Despite being the last episode in the original run of the series, it was not the last one they shot; that was the preceding episode "All Stood Up", which was when the curtain call, as the series wrapped and the cast members took their final bow, actually took placeFinal Curtain Call **John Stamos also had someone tape the curtain call (final bows),John Stamos' video of the curtain call and released it to his Instagram account to celebrate the release of Fuller House (the video shows the tape date was February 24, 1995) *The Olsen twins were not aware it was the series finale until they were handed flowers by their real-life siblings *The first appearance of Steve since the end of season seven *The fourth episode in which the Olsen twins appear side by side in the same scene; Mary-Kate as Michelle and Ashley as Michelle's memory *Michelle's memory's remark of "hug wild" is a take on the expression "hog wild" *When Michelle caught Nicky and Alex with the plastic Rigby (from "The Day of the Rhino"), it's assumed she gave it to them due to the fact that she decided to keep just the plush Rigby *For some reason, the hospital waiting room scene was cut out of the DVD version of the episode *Reportedly, this two-parter (which was originally shown as a one-hour episode) was not intended to be a series-ending episode, but due to the rising cost for salaries, and the rising production costs for ABC to keep it airing, there were talks of defecting to another network, but John Stamos announced that season eight would be his last if the show was to move to one of the two newer upstarts (UPN or the WB); in addition, Candace Cameron was either in or would be starting college in Fall 1995, so she decided this season would be her last, and eventually the rest of the cast followed suit *The following episodes are referenced during the family's photo album attempts to regain Michelle's memory: **Tanner's Island - the family's Hawaiian vacation **Captain Video (Part 1), Lovers and Other Tanners, and The Last Dance - her being a Honeybee ** The House Meets the Mouse (Part 1) and The House Meets the Mouse (Part 2) - her "Princess of the Day" gig at Walt Disney World ** References Category:Episodes Category:Season 8 Category:Quotes Category:Season finale episodes Category:Two-part episodes